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So, last year i drove to Val Thornes for a 4 days ski trip. Was hard work given the long drive, despite sharing driving wiht two others. I dont want to drive or fly (if possible) this Jan so thinking about getting the train from London to Moutiers and then taxi up the mountain from Moutiers. The Eurostar tickets are out for the London - Paris leg of the journey, but the Paris Moutiers leg isn't out yet. I guess i will have to wait. Has anyone done this? Any good tips? I will be starting the trip in Bristol. Not expecting it to be cheaper than flying but thinking it could be easier (less exhausting) than driving.
Guess the bit of advice needed was......when do the trains for the Paris - Moutiers leg of the journey get released? And is taxi from moutiers the best option? Or are there buses that are quick from the train station going strainght to VT?
If you are doing a 4 day ski trip, you need to sort yourself out: in that case the usual advice is to book Eurostar now and sort the french leg when that goes on sale. If you are doing full week then you can book via travelski who will organise the transfer up to the ski area as well.
There's a multi-page thread over on Snowheads discussing the options of travellign by train to various French resorts, it's worth a read of that (link goes to a random post in the middle, not anything specific)
https://snowheads.com/ski-forum/viewtopic.php?p=5445284
THat thread does cover things like when the tickets go onsale for the French leg, how to get notified, whether it's worth getting passes / discount cards etc
They still do the direct trains don't they? I've done that loads over the years, definitely the best way to travel. We did it once changing trains at Paris, it was a right ballache. (we did all have skis/boards to lug around though).
They still do the direct trains don't they?
Nope, that hasn't run for a while now. Travelski offer a service changing at Lille (they offer a package including accomodation but at least for now, you can't book train onlY) or you sort your own - changing at Lille is easier than crossing Paris, for sure, but if you are organising it yourself then I don't know what the options are for Lille to the alps. Going from Paris there are lots of choices, and the journey across Paris is not that arduous.
Consider changing trains in Lille rather than Paris if you have to change stations, if that works it's just a change of platform rather than dragging your stuff across Paris. It's what I did on my trip round France earlier in the year and it was a much nicer experience.
For some reason no-one has mentioned seat61
https://www.seat61.com/trains-and-routes/eurostar-ski-train.htm
Always book Eurostar as soon as you can, the continental trains don't tend to sell out and the fares don't have the same demand driven pricing so vary less if you end up booking late.
We're going to Tignes by train in feb. hadn't checked seat 61 and had assumed we wanted to go to Bourg but actually looks like Moutier is a better option. We actually use the train to stretch our trips a bit - this time we're going to a gig in Paris on the way out to catch a gig on the Thursday night, then were planning on spending a couple of nights in Grenoble before going to Tigne where we've a Sunday-Sunday week. Will likely ski the check out day as well and then break the trip home in Paris or Lille.
If I did it I'd probably ski Les Arcs or St Foy Tarentaise. Train to Bourg St Maurice then walk across the platform and get on the funiculaire to Les Arcs. There are shuttle busses to the resorts higher up the valley from Bourg St Maurice. Taxis can be useful if the shuttle bus times don't suit, phone for a quote and book. St Foy Tarentaise offers doable off piste which seems popular with STWers. Junior Is an ESF instructor who often guides at St Foy, but based in Bourg which is convenient for all the upper Tarentaise resorts.
Leave plenty of time to cross Paris, the propositions by the likes of Trainline can be a bit of a panic but a later train from Paris or ealier train into paris makes it more comfortable.
Some friends did it the year before last and said all the changes made it a right hassle. They've not done it again and have driven or flown since. It really should be the best way but it isn't
hadn't checked seat 61 and had assumed we wanted to go to Bourg but actually looks like Moutier is a better option.
it isn't, you go through Moutiers to get up the Tarentaise to Bourg St Maurice, you would get off at Moutiers for 3 Valleys or perhaps Valmorel
If I did it I'd probably ski Les Arcs or St Foy Tarentaise
Seconded, Les Arcs is be far simplest from the train, but we love Ste Foy.
Some friends did it the year before last and said all the changes made it a right hassle.
It's not ideal but hey, I don't want to fly any more so it's either train or drive. We did the train to Cluses to ski the Grand Massif, our biggest issue was that the UK trains were not running due to strike action so we had to drive to That London, park in the suburbs and get the Tube to St Pancras. Train to Paris was excellent (book the Eurostar Plus if the upgrade is not too expensive, the seats are WAY more comfortable and the food is really quite nice), we overnighted in Paris each way so we could have a wander, and the french trains are excellent. We've only done skiing by train once as we now tend to go self-catering and to head out for two weeks, so having a car is a big help, but if I were going for one week then I'd very much consider the train, especially if we were in catered accomodation. It's a faff to book, but I REALLY enjoyed the journey, unlike flying or driving
I'll let you know if/when we've worked it out!
Like you, we've booked out Eurostar to Paris but will be skiing in Serre Chevalier and getting the sleeper to Briançon. Hopefully this should be a bit more fun than the whole airport faff with the kids.
thanks for all the responses. Really helpful. I will have a look at Seat 61 and the snowheads forum. Reason for the VT rather than les arcs trip is that its for a work networking event so the resort is set by that.
Does this thread mean it's time to start the annual ski thread now? Without the Capn to get this underway in July/August I'm always too shy to do it myself so hope for a big-hitter to get it started.
Will also be going by train this year but on a package with TravelSki, StP to Lille, one change to BSM, then a van up the hill into La Rosiere this year as it's with my wife and a smaller resort suits her skiing requirements. Both skiers so the long drag on the connection to Italy won't be as nasty as it is for boarders.
We've done it a good few times now (for Les Arcs), as living in Sheffield we can just get the train to St Pancras and walk across the platform onto the Eurostar.
I'd say it takes a little longer than flying and is a chunk more expensive, but a lot more relaxing. Ski/board carriage is free which makes a difference if you have your own.
The transfer across Paris is not difficult or long, but can be stressful if its mad busy. There's a good video guide on line somewhere and you can buy the metro tickets on the Eurostar. We've not had any issues, but others have had problems with pickpockets/bagsnatchers. Keep your eyes open.
For 3 Valleys, get off at Moutiers; La Plagne at Aime; we tend to get picked up from Landry for Peisey; or BSM for everywhere else.
We used to the overnight snow train when it was running pre Covid. Got you there early, sure enough, but generally pretty wiped out. Everyone sleeping in the aisles or under the tables - all a bit of a mess TBH...
it isn't, you go through Moutiers to get up the Tarentaise to Bourg St Maurice, you would get off at Moutiers for 3 Valleys or perhaps Valmorel
yes, realise I'd misread the map.
Some friends did it the year before last and said all the changes made it a right hassle.
Some of this is going to depend on where you're starting from of course, but it really isn't. We're in London so the trip starts with a walk to the tube up to St Pancras. We've been to Switzerland (Wengen), St Anton as well as the Alps. Those are all doable in a day leaving St Pancras on a 0930 train and arriving by about 10pm. The worst queues are at St Pancras and they're not really bad. We usually have a sit down meal in Paris somewhere near one of the stations or pick up a picnic, beers/wine to have on the train.
We've also been to the dolomites - Milan in a day, a day there, then an hour or so to Venice to meet friends who'd flow for the transfer into the mountains. A few days in Venice on the way back.
Once to St Anton we had a few delays on the way out and missed a connection but we were spending the night and a day in Innsbruck so it just meant we got there after 11. It's pretty rare for cheap flights NOT to be delayed and in bad weather in winter it can be a real mess.
I guess one thing that helps is not taking our own skis. For a week a year I don't see the point - if you rent they come serviced and you can swap them to be best for the conditions through the week. We have travlled by train with our own and it does make the connections harder work. We do a backpack of clothes and a wheeled carryon case with our boots in. That easy enough to negotiate a city with.
Paris is not difficult or long, but can be stressful if its mad busy. There's a good video guide on line somewhere and you can buy the metro tickets on the Eurostar
Most of the stress used to be the huge queues to buy metro tickets but they've FINALLY switched from paper tickets to contactless - you can sort it all out on your phone now.
Finding your way around Paris metro stations still seems harder than it needs to be - worth having a look at the map and working out which lines you want to be on and noting down the end stations in advance.
You can buy ski train from Eurostar (at least you could last year) but timetable might not match up if you're doing a short trip
Does this thread mean it's time to start the annual ski thread now? Without the Capn to get this underway in July/August I'm always too shy to do it myself so hope for a big-hitter to get it started
I'm not a big hitter but I've started the last few since Cap went awol, I've sorted it for this year too
You can buy ski train from Eurostar (at least you could last year) but timetable might not match up if you're doing a short trip
You can, for Saturday travel each way StP to BSM. via Lille.
Christmas, Feb Half term and Easter are fully booked though.
We bought return tickets for a family of 4 a few days ago. Worked out at about £900.
Not quite sure how it works though given the French leg of the journey isn't bookable separately online yet , as I do not expect the London to Lille or Lille to BSM trains will be exclusively for those booking via Eurostar for travel to the Alps.
so, eurostar tickets to france are all out but journeys to Moutiers from either Lille or Paris arent out yet. I have been able to set up alerts for these so will see when they comes out. Not sure if Lille to Moutiers works for non weekend trips. I can search for this journey up to December and i only shows very early train times. I cant get times for Jan yet. Happy to go through Paris, but by the sounds of it Lille would be much easier.
This is the video we used to get from Gare du Nord to Gare de Lyon (I think).
You can, for Saturday travel each way StP to BSM. via Lille.
Christmas, Feb Half term and Easter are fully booked though.
We bought return tickets for a family of 4 a few days ago. Worked out at about £900.
I'm only getting "not available" for ANY outbound saturday
oh no, there are some available in feb and march. Looks like they're mostly £150 pp outbound (£200 for Eurostar plus which is on the border of an acceptable price increase) and £150 / 200 inbound. That would make it £600 (or £800) for two adults. And isn't really helpful given the dates we're going - I can get an outbound train for our March trip at 125/175, but not a return journey.